Senior wing Wesley Saunders, shown here in previous action, led Harvard's efforts against Arizona State in the first half, totaling 13 points prior to intermission. He finished with 15.

Harvard men’s basketball’s offense: better, but still not good enough.

Following last week’s historically bad 76-27 loss to No. 6 Virginia, the Crimson outpaced that output by halftime but scored just 18 second-half points in a 56-46 loss at Arizona State on Sunday.

Asked about his team’s offense, Harvard (7-3) coach Tommy Amaker was blunt.

“Not very good,” he said, “It’s obvious that we are struggling.”

Sophomore guard Corbin Miller cut the Sun Devil (8-5) lead to one, 38-37, five minutes into the second half, but Harvard managed to score just two points over the following six minutes as ASU opened up an eight-point lead.

With 4:32 left, Chambers launched a three that would have cut the gap to four points, but the shot caromed out and led to a transition alley-oop moments later that put the Sun Devils up nine. Ultimately, Harvard went without a made field goal over the game’s final seven minutes. 

“Down the stretch it was tough,” Saunders aid. “They locked in on defense. They’re a good team so they knew they had to get some stops and they were able to do that, and we weren’t able to manufacture the offense.”

Saunders and Chambers were the only Crimson scorers in double figures with 15 and 10, respectively. ASU had four players reach 10 points, with 13 apiece coming from forward Shaquielle McKissic and guard Gerry Blakes. 

In the loss, Harvard was held under 50 points in consecutive games for the first time since Amaker came to Cambridge.

“We’re getting great shots…they just haven’t gone,” Chambers said. “We just have to keep taking them.”

The offense’s opportunities were limited due to 14 turnovers and just five offensive rebounds, and Crimson shooters converted just 36 percent of the shots they did get off. Harvard had just seven assists in the game.

“Seven assists to 14 turnovers for us is just the opposite of what you’d like to have as a minimum,” Amaker said.

The Crimson’s free-throw struggles continued too. After converting just nine of 22 attempts at UVA, Harvard went 9-for-15 from the line Sunday.

“We have to do a better job,” Amaker said.  “We didn’t finish around the rim; we had moments where we could make layups and we didn’t. I’m disappointed in that.”

Saunders led what was nearly a two-man offensive show in the first half, utilizing drives, step-backs, and turnarounds to tally 13 first-half points. Chambers chipped in 10 in the first 20 minutes.